Rwanda National Police

Police Chief commends role of policing partners

The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana, while speaking to over one hundred crime preventers on September 13, lauded the role of the Rwanda National Police (RNP) partners in policing saying it has strengthened its crime prevention strategy and further improved safety and security in communities.

Partners included representatives of Anti-Crime clubs in schools, Youth Volunteers in Crime Prevention artists, poets, crime preventers and Police Ambassadors.

Crime preventers advise and inform police on an unlawful and criminal or suspicious act for quick intervention while Police Ambassadors include officials from government and private institutions, faith-based organisations, NGOs, among other, who support community policing initiatives to prevent and suppress crime.

“This session is very important and we want to appreciate your role. In modern policing, crime prevention, detection and reduction strategies can be implemented through different ways such as music, poetry, dance and drama, social media, community focused discussions, sports and culture and media,” IGP Gasana said.

“Through these initiatives, there have been significant results which have improved the safety and security of Rwandans, and this is the only way to go.”

Rwandan Police peacekeepers in CAR receive UN medals

 The United Nations, on September 13, decorated 164 Rwandan police peacekeepers serving under the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) with medals of service excellence.

The awards ceremony held at their camp base in the capital Bangui was presided over by the UN secretary-general’s special representative to CAR, Parfait Onanga Anyanga.

The ceremony was also attended by MINUSCA police commissioner, Luis Miguel Carrilho, government officials and contingent commanders of other formed police units.

Onanga thanked the “exemplary discipline and professionalism” of the Rwandan Police officers.”

“The UN and the entire community in Penace (their area of operation) are grateful for your contribution toward restoring stability and peace in CAR,” Anyanga said.

Rwanda was the first country to deploy a contingent of Police officers in CAR, arriving two weeks before the blue berets formerly took over the peacekeeping mandate from the African Union.

Also read: UN salutes Rwandan peacekeepers in CAR

 Rwanda has the most professional Police force in Africa - German Ambassador

 The German ambassador to Rwanda, Peter Fahrenhotz said that Rwanda has one of the most professional police force on the continent which eases the country’s quest of becoming a middle income economy.

 Amb. Fahrenhotz made the remarks on Monday September 14, at the opening of a six-day training of 16 police officers in ‘fundamentals of intercultural competence and communication for policing’ taking place at Rwanda National Police Headquarters in Kacyiru.

 “I appreciate very much the good work of RNP and its officers. I have witnessed high dedication and commitment of Rwanda National Police. I also see a high degree of integrity and honesty among the police officers which is very important,” Fahrenhotz said.

 “I have been in many African countries and I believe RNP is the best in Africa. If you look at the development of Rwanda as an ambitious country with its vision 2020 that leads the country to becoming a middle income economy…there is no doubt Rwanda will achieve its goals.”

While officiating at the start of the training, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) in charge of Administration and Personnel, Juvenal Marizamunda, who appreciated the existing partnership with German Police institution, pointed out that RNP recognizes contemporary policing challenges in a world that is facing transnational threats such as terrorism, cyber crimes, human trafficking and drug dealing among others.

 “It is evident that it’s only through cooperation that we can be able to handle such emerging crimes. Such cooperation involves forces from different countries, different backgrounds and culture since the world has become a global village, policing is taking place in an international and challenging environment,” said the DIGP.

 Rwanda, Interpol intensify tracking genocide fugitives

The international Police organisation, Interpol has renewed commitment to working closely with Rwandan authorities in renewed effort to bring to book fugitives who are wanted for their role the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.

The development followed a two day meeting that ended yesterday September 17, between officials from Rwanda Public Prosecution Authority, Rwanda Interpol National Central Bureau and Interpol representatives from General Secretariat.

The meeting focused on strategizing new ways and means of bringing to justice genocide fugitives who are roaming in different parts of the world.

 In a press briefing after the meeting, Stefano Carvelli, the Assistant Director of Interpol Fugitive Investigative Support Sub-Directorate, said that the meeting aimed at streamlining and enhancing strategies of bringing to justice perpetrators of the genocide.

“Our meeting with the Genocide Fugitive Tracking Unit and Interpol-Kigali discussed mainly new operational factors and initiative as means to intensify our hunt for genocide perpetrators,” said Stefano.

He added that part of what they discussed included the progress made in tracking genocide, the challenges that were faced and how to adapt to different needs in order to have all genocide suspects arrested.

John Bosco Siboyintore, the Head of Genocide Tracking Unit in RPPA, hailed the existing cooperation with Interpol.

Irrespective of the fact that the perpetrators keep changing their identity to evade justice, Siboyintore said, Interpol has kept tabs on and sometimes even arrest, extradite or deport them to Rwanda.

RNP takes environmental protection campaign to Huye

The Rwanda National Police (RNP)’s Environmental Protection Unit (EPU) has extended its environmental protection awareness programme to Huye district in a bid to mitigate continued cased of deforestations.

 The campaign is part of the month long countrywide awareness programme conducted by EPU to protect the ecosystem.

 Huye is among the districts where cases of environmental degradation and deforestation in particular, are relatively still high, especially in Karama Sector.

 On September 17, Police officers attached to the EPU reached out to residents of Karama and associations dealing in timber trade to sensitize them and ensure their business doesn’t affect the environment.

AIP Joseph Mwizerwa, while addressing about 200 residents, told them that such environmental crimes are a major drive to climatic change and loss of habitat for millions of species.

“Those that deal in timber business legally contribute to national development but you should do it in the most appropriate way that does not damage the environment,” said Mwizerwa.

He added that; “if you want to boost your business, you should do it in the most appropriate way as prescribed by the awarded licence, otherwise you may soon run out of work and this will not affect only you but also those dealing in land cultivation and the entire nation.”

Charcoal burning, illegal timber business and bush burning are some of the activities that endanger the environment in the district.

Ruhango review crime prevention strategies

Security organs in Ruhango District have laid more strategies in a bid to identify and respond to security threats in the district.

In a meeting held on September 17, and also attended by local leaders and residents, a 12-man team was constituted to spearhead the community policing strategies and identify possible security threats, for immediate action, as a crime prevention strategy.

The team includes police officers, administrative security personnel – DASSO – and members of the reserve force, among others.

According to Supt. Richard Rubagumya, the District Police Commander for Ruhango, the team was put in place following a crime analysis that indicated the need to lay further measures to deal with crimes that still affect communities in the district.

Police FC beat Mukura in national league opener

Striker Isaie Songa and Midfielder Imran Nshimiyimana inspired the Rwanda National Police Football Club to a 2-1 win over Mukuru in their opening match of the 2015/16 Azam National league played on Saturday away in Muhanga.

Isonga put his name on the score sheet just seven minutes of the game before Mukura canceled the lead in the 34th minute through Muhadjir Hakizimana through a free kick.

Coach Andre Cassa Mbugo's tactical change when he brought in Nshimiyimana to replace Muhammad Mushimiyimana in the second half paid off for the law enforcers.

Nshimiyimana scored the winner just five minutes to the final whistle to send a warning as favourites for this season's league glory.